


Just the Beginning

by foxxlight



Series: It's You & I [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Age Difference, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Baekhyun's probably the alpha with the butt, Fluff, Jongdae is the real MVP, Light Angst, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 16:53:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10575498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foxxlight/pseuds/foxxlight
Summary: Jongin has been pining over his best friend's older brother for years. He's over it now, though. Probably.





	

_[From] Cat Whisperer  
Dude, where are you? Did you get lost walking the three feet between our houses?_

Jongin leaned back in his chair and groaned. He loved Jongdae, he really, really did. They’ve been best friends ever since Jongin’s family moved in next door. Jongin was seven back then and Jongdae had been eight. Fast forward twelve years and the two of them were even closer than ever before. They grew up playing in each other’s backyards, going to school, failing classes and finding passions - all of it was done together. Through all of life’s ups and downs Jongin and Jongdae were there for each other, which meant there weren’t any secrets between them.

There _shouldn’t_ have been any secrets - but there was one. Jongin's secret. Something he’d kept close to himself, locked away deep in the recesses of his heart, never to see the light of day. Something that Jongin had known to be true ever since he was ten, and then reformatted and given a different meaning at fifteen. And it was precisely because of that secret that he was dreading going over to his best friend’s house.

Chuseok had been getting closer, which meant most people at Jongin and Jongdae’s university had used their time off to head back home and spend time with their families. Both of them had chosen to do the same. The year before, their first year away from home, they’d opted to stay in Seoul for the holiday. They quickly realized, though, that while they enjoyed their newfound freedom and life in the city, they also really missed their families a lot. So that year they didn’t have to give it much thought before informing their families they’d be coming home for the two and half week holiday they were given. 

That in itself wasn’t a problem. Jongin loved his parents dearly, and talked to them often while he was at school. He loved Jongdae’s just as much, the couple having become like a second pair of parents to him over the years. _Normally,_ he would already be over Jongdae’s house, just like he’d told his friend he would be the night before. They’d returned early the previous evening and it quickly became late morning, which meant that in any other situation - any _normal_ one, anyway - Jongin would have been at Jongdae’s early enough to eat breakfast. But that was before Jongdae had sent him that text. 

Jongin knew that it was an innocent message meant only to relay information. He knew that Jongdae was just happy about the news and thought Jongin would be too. It wasn’t supposed to make Jongin’s heart clench and his stomach roll. It wasn’t supposed to make his thoughts race and his limbs tingle. But it did, and Jongin hated himself for it. He thought he’d gotten over it. It had been four years already; four years full of a lot of changes for Jongin. He thought for sure that when days could pass and he didn’t give it any thought that he was over it. He thought without a shadow of a doubt that he’d moved on. But, really, he should have known better, because how can you actually be over something that you have to avoid thinking about?

A call had Jongin’s phone lighting up from its spot next to him on the couch, Jongdae’s contact photo - a picture of him sticking his tongue out while making a v sign that he’d taken himself last summer - showing up on the screen.

Knowing he couldn’t avoid the other’s call - or his unpleasant fate, for that matter - he dragged his finger across the answer icon and brought his phone up to his ear. “Hello?”

“Don’t ignore my texts!” Jongdae whined in place of a hello. Jongin could practically _see_ him pouting. 

“I wasn’t ignoring you, I just got distracted. My mom asked me to clean out the hall closet before I left, and I ended up finding some stuff from when we were kids.” Which was not a lie, but it had been over an hour since that had happened.

“Ooh, what stuff?” Jongdae asked excitedly, already over the fact that Jongin hadn’t answered his texts.

Laughing, a genuine smile had spread across Jongin’s face, his troubling situation forgotten for the time being. “It was the flag from our old fort in the woods, and some pictures of us there. We were - like what, eight back then? Not too long after we’d first met and declared ourselves to be best friends for life.”

“No, my dear dongsaeng, I was “like, eight”. You were a very young seven and a half.” 

Jongin snorted and rolled his eyes. Jongdae liked to constantly tease him about the fact that he was a year older than Jongin, even though Jongin didn’t usually call him hyung, and they were in the same grade. “Yeah, okay Jongdae, whatever. I was seven in the photos and you were eight. Anyway, I got distracted looking through them. Those were some good times, I kind of miss them.”

Jongdae laughed in agreement and said, “Me too Jonginnie, me too. Life was so much better when all we cared about were juice boxes and cartoons. Damn, now I wanna be a kid again. Okay! Here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to shove that stuff back in the closet and get your ass over here so we can build a blanket nest in my living room and watch old cartoons! Minseok hyung won’t be here for a few more hours yet, so we’ve got time to kill.”

At the mention of Jongdae’s older brother, Jongin felt himself stiffening up reflexively. For a few moments, he’d let himself relax enough that he’d forgotten what sort of situation he’d unintentionally put himself in. If he would’ve known that Minseok was going to come back for Chuseok for the first time in _four years_ and would be bringing his _girlfriend_ beforehand, Jongin would have stayed in his and Jongdae’s little apartment just outside of campus. He wouldn’t have come home to suffer through the pain that was seeing your best friend’s older brother who just so happened to be your first love whom you were maybe probably actually completely not as over as you thought you were, alongside his longtime girlfriend who he probably planned to mate and have kids with.

Fuck his life, seriously. 

“I’ll be right over, Dae.”

∞

Jongin was feeling comfortable and relaxed despite the inner turmoil he was going through. That’s what happened when you were curled up with your best friend of over a decade, and whose beta scent made you feel calm and safe. Add that to the fact that Jongdae’s parents were making lunch in the kitchen, and their combined omega and alpha scents were like a second home to Jongin, and there was no way he wouldn’t feel at ease in the Kim house. Omegas felt comforted by familiar scents, and Jongdae’s house was about as familiar as it got.

He and Jongdae had been laying in the living room, surrounded by what was probably all the blankets and pillows in the entire house, watching the cartoons they used to watch when they were kids, for over two hours. It was another good distraction to take his mind off the impending pain he would inevitably suffer when he was faced with Minseok’s return with his plus one. 

Jongin hadn’t even checked the clock once in the past half hour, which is a major improvement compared to his once every ten minutes when they’d first settled down. Even without looking though, he knew Minseok was due to arrive soon. Which meant Jongin would have to grit his teeth and act totally unaffected even if he felt like his heart was literally splitting in two. And he’d have to go through it alone because he had never mustered up the courage to just admit to Jongdae that he was in love with his brother. Yeah, sometimes Jongin really regretted his life decisions.

His self pitying thoughts got cut off before they could swallow him whole, thankfully. The front door was pushed open with a hard shove that caught the attention of both wolves in the living room. Jongin had a brief thought as to why Jongdae’s parents never replaced the door after they broke it in seventh grade, but wasn’t able to focus on it for long because of the new, but extremely familiar scent filling the room. Seconds after the alpha’s scent began wafting in, Minseok stepped into sight and Jongin felt his breath catch in his throat.

Minseok looked the same as Jongin remembered him to look, albeit a little older. He was short, especially for an alpha, but he radiated an alpha’s strength and the way he held himself was undeniably a characteristic of an alpha. Even if his body didn’t give him away though, his scent was more than obvious. It wasn’t an intrusive scent in the way that some alphas made Jongin feel as if he were choking on their stench, but more of a subtle yet strong scent that made the omega in him feel safe and warm. Minseok’s hair was cut a little shorter than it was when Jongin had last seen him, but it suited him well. Aside from his hair and the way his muscles were slightly more defined, there wasn’t much difference between twenty two year old Minseok and twenty six year old Minseok. His eyes still crinkled up in the same way and his smile still made Jongin’s heart flip in his chest. Jongin was relieved to note that even Minseok’s style was the same; tight but comfortable jeans, a worn pair of sneakers, and a soft looking sweater to fight off the autumn chill. Without wanting to admit it to himself, Jongin had been worried that the four years they went without seeing each other would have changed the alpha into someone unrecognizable to him. Thankfully, it seemed that wasn’t the case.

Jongin was able to breathe a quiet sigh of relief at this before focusing his mind on acting casual. From beside him, Jongdae was already scrambling up and out of their blanket nest to greet his brother. The two of them were both pretty easy going people, and thus were able to get along better than most siblings would. Jongin had known them for most of their lives, but he couldn’t recall a time where the two had ever had a serious fight over something. Having a six year gap between them probably aided the formation of their good relationship.

“Hyung! I missed you like hell, you should’ve come home more often,” Jongdae complained jokingly and grinned widely when Minseok ruffled his hair.

“Don’t be a brat,” Minseok replied with an eye roll, reaching out to pinch Jongdae’s arm. The beta yelped and quickly retreated back to Jongin’s side in order to hide behind him.

“Protect me from that evil alpha, Jonginnie! Defend my honor!” Jongdae’s dramatics were met with an eyeroll from the other two wolves in the room. 

When their eyes met, Jongin had to physically refrain from jolting, feeling as if a current of electricity had run through him. A warmth quickly filled him when he was greeted with a smile though, and Jongin couldn’t help the dopey grin he responded with.

“Hi Minseok hyung, how have you been?” Jongin asked and prayed he didn’t sound like the smitten guy he was. Minseok’s smile only grew wider, so he figured he did okay at acting normal.

“Things have actually been really good lately. For a while things were sort of rocky, but now it’s like a weight’s been lifted off my shoulders. I guess I was just missing home.” 

Before Jongin could tell him that he was glad to see him again, Mrs. Kim entered the room with a wide grin, pulling Minseok into a hug and cooing, “Ah, my Minseokkie has finally come home! You shouldn’t stay away for so long just because you’ve become an adult, you know.”

Once she released him from her playful scolding, Minseok was enveloped in his dad’s arms. “It’s good to see you again, son. How’s Seoul been treating you? You said you were bringing your girlfriend, right?” He wiggled his eyebrows teasingly, and if Jongin didn’t feel as if a rock was crushing his lungs at the mere mention of her, he might have joined Jongdae in his teasing and pretended to laugh. The pressure was definitely there though, so he stayed quiet and hoped Jongdae was too preoccupied to notice his sudden change in demeanor. 

“Yeah hyung, where is she? I was pretty surprised when mom and dad told me you were bringing one home. You’ve never done that before.” Jongdae had jumped in on his dad’s teasing without hesitation.

Minseok usually would have risen to their bait and shot something sarcastic back at them, but not this time. Instead, he shrugged his shoulders and gave an easy smile. “It never felt right with any of them, so I didn’t bother.”

This was getting worse and worse. Jongin was well aware that Minseok wasn’t a virgin. Far from it, he was sure. Jongin knew the older alpha was the actual definition of mate material, not to mention how extremely gorgeous he was. There was no way he hadn’t dated at least a few people. Jongin was only nineteen, and had been in love with Minseok since he was fifteen, and yet even he had some experience under his belt. But knowing that and having to see it - to hear about it - were completely different things. As Jongdae had said, Minseok never brought any of those people around, so Jongin never had to face that reality even if he knew it was the truth. It was hard to swallow because of that, his throat feeling tight at the thought of Minseok liking this girl enough to bring home. _Enough to mate,_ a voice in the back of his mind whispered.

“So then this girl, she feels right?” Minseok’s mom asked with raised eyebrows. She looked past her son and at the front door, which Jongin couldn’t see from his position. He was sure at any second he’d see her though. She’d step in and be as gorgeous as she was in his imagination. He’d thought about it a lot since getting Jongdae’s text the night before. She’d probably be short, unlike Jongin who was taller than Minseok, and her skin would probably be smooth and flawless. Her hair would be long and straight, not curly and unruly as Jongin’s was. It probably wouldn’t be a muddy brown color either. Her eyes were sure to shine brighter than his ever could, and Minseok would smile at her with eyes that said how in love he was as he wrapped her up in his arms. Any second now, a girl like that - a girl nearer to Minseok’s age - would walk through the door and Jongin would have to smile and pretend that he wasn’t dying inside because he should be happy for Minseok. He should be, but how could he when all he’s ever wanted was to look at Minseok that way, and to have his gaze returned. 

No one stepped through the door though, and Minseok explained why. “I might have thought she was in the beginning, but I can see now that if I’d ever felt that way about her, it was a long time ago.” When his dad looked at him in concern, Minseok was quick to reassure them that he was okay. “Don’t misunderstand me though, our breakup was mutual and happened a few days after I told you I was bringing her along. Honestly, I hadn’t even considered bringing her here before.” He laughed a little helplessly and shrugged as if to say ‘what can you do?’.

“Oh, I see what happened!” Jongdae cut in excitedly, eyes glinting with mischief. “She made you feel bad about it, so you just agreed to bring her along, right? And then she got mad because you didn’t actually want her to come! Girls are confusing like that.” He nodded sagely, as if he were some sort of expert. 

Jongin couldn’t help the snort that came out, heart feeling light now that he knew Minseok wasn’t actually seeing anyone. It was easier to breathe now that he wasn’t facing his love’s love. Part of him felt guilty that he was relieved they broke up, and even more so that Minseok had never wanted to bring her to meet his family in the first place, but he couldn’t help it. Anyone would be glad, so he tried not to think about it too much as his shoulders relaxed and the banter began.

“Jongdae, you can’t even get a girl to sit next to you in class, let alone date you. What would you know about how they act in relationships?”

Mr. Kim laughed at Jongin’s rebuttal and gave his son a fond shove. “Yeah Jongdae, what would you know?”

“Alright children,” Mrs. Kim broke in while trying to sound tired of their childishness. They all knew she wasn’t though, her tone and smile more than fond. It was good to have her family back together again. “That’s enough from all of you. The only one of you who has any sense is Jongin, and that’s because us omegas know best.” She winked.

Jongin’s laughter was filled with undiluted happiness as he nodded. “She’s right, we’re the best.”

“I can live with that,” Mr. Kim agreed, patting Jongin’s shoulder with a look in his eye that showed he thought of Jongin like his own son. “Now let’s go eat lunch, I’m starved.”

More laughter was shared as Jongdae continued to banter with Jongin and Minseok, the five of them making their way into the kitchen where lunch was already set out and waiting. Jongin had been dreading Minseok’s return ever since he’d learned about it less than twenty four hours ago. It had kept him up later than it should have, too many thoughts swirling around in his head. Now though, everything seemed like it was going to be okay. There was probably no hope for him and Minseok to ever be together, and eventually he knew that Minseok would find the person he wanted to mate with, but for that moment, he was content to just enjoy their time together.

∞

That contentment carried on for the next three days. Jongin spent most of those days at Jongdae’s place, catching up with Minseok but never spending any time alone with him like they did in the past. In the evenings he’d return back to his house to spend time with his parents before the cycle would repeat all over again the next day. It was nice to be together again, and Jongin felt himself getting more comfortable as the days passed. He still thought about Minseok a lot, like how much he loved his laugh and how pleased he was whenever he was the cause of it, but he felt he did a good job of acting as a little brother figure should. He was less nervous to be around the older wolf, but on their fourth day back home, Jongin quickly realized he only felt that relaxed because of his best friend’s presence. 

The night before, the three of them had decided they should go visit some of the places they used to go to back before Minseok had left them for college in Seoul all those years ago. It was quickly decided they’d go to that one American style diner in town that they’d went to a lot as kids. Jongin loved their milkshakes, which Minseok had remembered and made Jongin’s face turn tomato red when he’d voice the comment aloud as the omega was on his way out the door that night.

They’d set up a meeting time for lunch - everyone was meant to gather at the diner at one the next afternoon. Normally they’d have just left together but Jongin had plans to help his mom at the flower shop his family owned, and Minseok wanted to take the opportunity to visit some of his old friends that morning, so all of them would be arriving separately. Not a problem in itself, except Jongin hadn’t counted on Jongdae running late and leaving him sitting alone in a booth across from Minseok, his nerves making him fidgety, his mouth feeling dry. 

“Hey,” Minseok had greeted him casually as he slid into the bench opposite Jongin, who had been the first to arrive. “Have you been waiting long? Usually you’re the last one to show up because it’s impossible to get you out of bed.”

Minseok’s laugh made Jongin’s insides tremble but he did his best to chuckle along and not look as queasy as he suddenly felt. “I still sleep like the dead, but I’ve gotten better at waking up for my alarm. I learned the first week of school that being late for college classes sucks so… I adjusted.”

Minseok nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it can be rough. I wouldn’t be surprised if my brother missed half his classes because he was too lazy to go. Next time though, when you schedule courses you should try to avoid early morning and late night classes if you can help it. I took some night classes when I was in school and they kicked my ass.”

Jongin nodded, filing away Minseok’s advice despite having already received it from several other people during his first year. “I needed the credit for my major and I was late signing up for classes because I had a stomach bug that week so I was sort of stuck. Surprisingly though, Jongdae’s actually putting in effort for his classes. _Unsurprisingly_ , it’s mostly just the ones for his major.” Jongin began to chuckle when he remembered something else . “And his history class, because there’s this, and I quote “hot alpha upperclassman with an ass that should seriously be illegal Jongin, I am not kidding”, that sits near him.”

Minseok choked on his laughter, a little taken aback at Jongin’s blunt words, though he had to admit that they sounded like something his brother would say. Talking about Jongdae made the atmosphere feel lighter and eased Jongin’s nerves a bit, but then the waitress came and had to ruin what little grip he’d gotten over his emotions.

“Sorry to interrupt the two of you, you look like you’re having a really good time.” She smiled genuinely at them, and that was okay because Jongin could use a drink. But she kept talking and quickly the omega felt his face heat up. “It’s been awhile since I’ve seen such a cute couple come in here. Honestly, I wish my boyfriend looked at me the way yours looks at you.”

She directed the comment to Minseok, whose eyes have become just a bit wider than usual. It probably wasn’t noticeable to the alpha standing between them, but Jongin knew Minseok well and could tell that the idea of them being a couple completely blindsided him. It made Jongin feel sick all over again, even if the thought of someone else thinking they looked good together - that they looked _in love_ \- made him feel like a pile of goo. 

Jongin waited with a red face and baited breath, sure that Minseok would correct the other alpha and politely tell her they were waiting for his brother to show up. He was so sure that Minseok would say that Jongin was just a _kid,_ he was only nineteen, and he’s his little brother’s best friend so of course they’re not _boyfriends_. Friends, maybe. Or even brothers themselves, but he was certainly not someone Minseok might _mate_ with. Jongin was ready for Minseok to say some of those things, and shatter his heart into a million pieces without realizing, but he didn’t. His widened eyes and slightly tensed shoulders relaxed after a few seconds and then he was looking at Jongin (who wished he could just _stop blushing already dammit_ ) and smiling softly.

“Thanks,” He said to their waitress. Then he looked back to Jongin and said, “Why don’t we get drinks now instead of waiting. Who knows when that idiot will show up.”

Jongin, who still felt a little disoriented and confused about what had happened, nodded along to the alpha’s suggestion. Minseok muttered something Jongin swears sounded like ‘cute’ under his breath but that couldn’t be right because Minseok wouldn’t call him cute, would he? No, Jongin was projecting because something strange had happened and made his heart think he had a chance when, in reality, Minseok probably just hadn’t wanted to go through the trouble of explaining to their waitress what their relationship really was. Yeah, that had definitely been it.

But when Minseok ordered both of their drinks, getting Jongin’s favorite soda without having to ask, Jongin couldn’t help the way his heart started to beat quicker in his chest. He couldn’t control how sappy his smile looked as he met Minseok’s eyes, and he couldn’t keep the blood from rushing to his cheeks as he looked away. It almost felt as if they were really on a date. The atmosphere had shifted after their waitress made those comments. Suddenly, it felt like something heavy, yet pleasant, was hanging between them. Jongin didn’t know what it was though, and didn’t know how to voice the thoughts that were running rampant through his head. 

The waitress came back with their drinks quickly, Jongdae arriving not even a minute later, and whatever moment Jongin thought he and Minseok might have shared was lost as his best friend launched into a story from his and Jongin’s first year in college. 

∞

A similarly strange moment happened between the two of them two days after the diner. It was a Monday, six days after Minseok had arrived and the first in which Jongin didn’t see the elder. He hadn’t seen Jongdae that day either. Jongin wasn’t sure what Minseok was doing, but Jongdae and his dad went to help his grandparents with house repairs, so he figured that’s also where Minseok went. Jongin’s mom was at the shop, but his free day coincided with his dad’s day off work so the two of them took the dogs to the park to play. Living with Jongdae and going to school in Seoul was great, but Jongin really missed his dogs, so getting the spend the day with them alongside his dad was great.

Shortly after Jongin had eaten dinner with his parents, Jongdae had sent him a text telling him to come over and do homework with him, which Jongin didn’t hesitate to agree to. It was something they’d started doing in middle school and had continued to do ever since. Jondgae knew Jongin better than anyone else, so he knew that even though the younger wouldn’t say so, Jongin really hated being alone. It wasn’t that he disliked silence or anything like that, it was just that he felt better with someone near him. His dad said it was omega instincts, but Jongin thought it was probably just something weird about himself. Both his dad and Mrs. Kim do things on their own plenty and never seemed bothered by it. Regardless, Jongdae knew about it, and being the amazing best friend that he was (Jongdae’s words, if you couldn’t tell) he proposed they do homework together whenever possible. Jongin was always grateful for it, and usually felt more motivated to finish assignments when Jongdae was around, so he headed over to Jongdae’s with his backpack slung over his shoulder.

He hadn’t intended on staying the night, but when he woke up and blearily looked at the clock on Jongdae’s nightstand, saw the number two followed by the letters a and m glowing green in the dark, he decided it didn’t matter. He checked his phone, ready to send his parents an apology text, only to find that Jongdae had already done so, and smiled at the words before throwing his legs over the side of the bed and standing up, careful not to jostle the sleeping beta too much. After a quick stretch, Jongin headed downstairs to use the bathroom.

When Jongin had first moved in next door, Jongdae’s house had been identical to his. Most of the houses in the neighborhood were the same. They were two bedroom, one bath houses with combined kitchen and dining rooms. This layout worked well for Jongin’s family, which only consisted of himself and his parents (and dogs) but Jongdae had a brother and so, an addition was added on. Jongin remembers being really young, probably only a year after he moved in next door, and seeing the second floor added to Jongdae’s house piece by piece. He was amazed at how houses were built, and was really interested in architecture for a few months before moving on to something else. Because of money constrictions though, there was still only a single bathroom. That meant that while Jongdae’s bedroom and his mom’s studio were on the second floor, his parents’ bedroom, Minseok’s bedroom, and the bathroom were still downstairs. 

Jongin hadn’t given it much thought as he sleepily stumbled his way out of the bathroom and back towards the living room where the staircase was located. He’d spent plenty of nights at Jongdae’s house, but his most recent memories were of a time when Minseok was in Seoul. So honestly, he was shocked when he stumbled, still half asleep with his head hanging to watch his shuffling feet, into a warm body.

Immediately Jongin jolted backwards, eyes wide open as a gasp tore from his throat. His heart was beating a mile a minute, a panicked haze overtaking mind at the thought of someone he didn’t know being inside the house. He might have been wide awake at that point, but his brain was still slow to process what was around him, the panic and fear still clouding his senses. It was only when his body was urged forward gently by a pair of soft hands, face guided into the crook of the other person’s neck, that he smelt the familiar alpha musk.

Jongin’s body instantly went lax in the other wolf’s arms, letting out a relieved sigh of the other’s name. “Minseok,” he breathed, arms winding around the alpha’s waist as he attempted to calm his still racing heart.

“It’s okay Jongin,” He spoke slowly and quietly, his calm and sure words coupling with his scent to fully relax the omega in his arms. Minseok carefully led him over to the couch before sitting down beside him, still close enough to offer reassurance if need be.

“Oh god,” Jongin groaned quietly, having gotten is barings back. He was mindful of the others still sleeping in the house though, and was sure to keep his voice down. “Shit hyung, you scared the crap out of me.” He tiredly ruffled his hair, tugging on the dark strands a bit in the hopes that his bedhead wouldn’t be too bad. Now that he was more awake, he was conscious of the fact that he was only wearing a pair of low slung sweatpants and a fuzzy pair of socks that actually belonged to Jongdae. 

“Sorry,” Minseok apologized with a light chuckle. “I really didn’t mean to scare you Jongin. I sort of figured you’d see me and stop?” He offered an apologetic shrug, hand moving soothingly across Jongin’s leg. Well, Jongin assumed it was meant to be soothing. He really doubted Minseok intended to turn him on, but well, that was what was happening. And if he let it continue for much longer, Minseok would to be able to smell it.

With that thought driving him, he stood up, maybe a bit too abruptly, and said, “I need a snack now that you’ve shortened my lifespan.” The laugh he let out following the statement was full of nervous energy, but he hoped that the older wolf would assume he was still jittery from the scare. When Minseok agreed and began to follow him into the kitchen, Jongin also hoped he thought the same about his stilted movements.

To his surprise though, instead of taking a seat at the table or joining Jongin in rummaging through the cupboards, Minseok placed his hands on Jongin’s shoulders and steered the omega into a seat at the table, shooting another one of his heart stopping smiles in the omega’s direction. “You sit, I’ll make you something.”

“But-” Jongin began his protest but got cut off almost immediately.

“You can take it as an apology for scaring you earlier, now tell me what you want.”

Truthfully, he hadn’t wanted anything. Claiming to need a snack after being scared was weird and made absolutely no sense if you were to really think about it, but at the time Jongin had been in full on panic mode and his brain wasn’t functioning properly. He’d said the first thing that came to mind in order to escape the alpha’s sensual touches, however unintentional they might have been. He couldn’t very well say that to Minseok though, so he needed to come up with something else to say.

After a minute or two of lip biting thought, Jongin finally replied with, “Hot chocolate.” And Minseok raised his brows, eyes sliding down to Jongin’s bare chest before his lips quirked into a small smile. Jongin had never seen him make a face like that before, and was instantly curious about its meaning, but knew better than to ask.

“Hot chocolate, huh? If you were going to be cold Jongin, you should have worn clothes.” The alpha teased as he pulled down two mugs and filled them with water, only turning around to look at the red faced omega once he’d started the microwave. 

“I was asleep before!” Jongin’s protest was genuine. He tended to feel hotter when he slept, and it didn’t help that he was sharing a bed with Jongdae, who clung to anything and anyone within reach, even when unconscious. He said as much to Minseok, who only continued to smile that unfamiliar smile at him.

“Whatever,” Jongin huffed, finally giving up and accepting that he was being teased and could do nothing about it.

The microwave went off before a silence could properly settle between them, and as Minseok stood to finish making their drinks, he pulled his hoodie off and handed it over to Jongin. The younger wolf took it in his hands and blinked down at it, not sure why it was suddenly in his possession.

“Hyung why are you-” Jongin started to ask, eyes shifting back and forth between the alpha and the hoodie. There was probably a stupid look on his face, too.

“Wear it so you won’t get sick, Jongin.” The tone Minseok used implied that he was amused, and Jongin immediately felt petulant but couldn’t deny how his chest had warmed at the thought of Minseok being worried. That, and it also might have felt a little chilly in the kitchen.

Without further hesitation, Jongin pulled the fabric over his head and wiggled around a little to make the cloth sit comfortably on his body. Despite the size difference between them, the hoodie fit well on Jongin. Minseok liked to wear oversized sweaters and hoodies, so while it hung loose on the alpha, it fit Jongin comfortably. The sleeves were still slightly long, and could almost cover his fingers, but best of all, it smelled entirely of Minseok. The scent of the alpha penetrated the piece of clothing deeply, indicating that either he hadn’t washed it in a while, or he’d worn it frequently since. Either way, Jongin wasn’t bothered. Wearing an alpha’s clothing usually indicated they were an item, or at the very least close with one another, so the fact that Jongin was wearing Minseok’s hoodie, even in a friendly manner and in a place where no one else could see him, made him feel a little giddy. He’d worn other alpha’s clothing before, like his friend Sehun’s shirt after dance practice, but it was an entirely different feeling when he was wrapped up in the smell of the alpha he was in love with.

Jongin’s first thought after getting comfortable in the hoodie was to drag the sleeves up to his nose and take a deep breath. He almost did it too, before he remembered what sort of situation he was in. He wasn’t Minseok’s boyfriend, least of all his mate, and while he could have gotten away with the sniffing, it would have definitely made things uncomfortable. Minseok didn’t see him that way, Jongin was sure, despite the somewhat strange behavior the older wolf had been exhibiting since he’d arrived a week ago. He didn’t want to read into it too much and end up getting his heart broken.

Jongin could settle for this though, it was enough - or at least that’s what he told himself as Minseok returned with their mugs of hot chocolate. Minseok placed the first down in front of Jongin, and that’s when the younger noticed that Minseok had known which mug was Jongin’s. He supposed it wasn’t a big deal; after all, he’d been using that mug since Mrs. Kim had made it for him for christmas in eighth grade, but he was still surprised that Minseok paid enough attention to know that that it belonged to him.

“I gave you extra marshmallows and made sure they were the shaped kind because I know how much you like them,” Minseok explained, probably thinking that was why Jongin had been staring into his cup like an idiot. “Mom must have picked them up when she found out you and Dae were coming home.”

He only nodded at Minseok’s assumption, choosing to pick up his mug and take a long sip instead of verbally responding. Things had begun to take a strange turn again, and Jongin felt that same lingering feeling in the air that was there that day in the diner. In the back of his mind, he thought maybe he understood what Minseok wasn’t saying, but whenever he tried to figure out what that something was, it escaped him. Nothing was more frustrating than feeling like he was missing something obvious, but he still kept silent. Maybe he was just afraid to ask.

The two of them sat together without saying anything for a while, Minseok seemingly content to just sit with Jongin and drink. Jongin, on the other hand, was troubled by his thoughts. He was unsure of what he was feeling, and stressed because he couldn’t voice his confusion. He wanted things to just go back to the way they were before, back when he wasn’t unsure of how to act. He knew he was in a one sided love, and that was familiar. He could deal with that. _This,_ whatever it was, felt different than that, and was overwhelming. Just as he’d made up his mind to bid the alpha goodnight and retreat back to Jongdae’s room, Minseok started speaking.

“You’ve been okay in Seoul, right?” He furrowed his brows, and Jongin got the impression that he didn’t know how to word what he was feeling either. Jongin thought he looked cute with his eyebrows drawn and his nose scrunched up a little. “We’ve been living ten minutes from each other for over a year and this is the first time I’ve seen you in four. I’m sorry for that, Jongin. I should have reached out to you sooner.”

His apology was obviously genuine, and Jongin’s heart ached at the thought that this had more than likely been bothering Minseok for a while. “It’s okay hyung, I understand. You’re an adult and you have a job and, at the time, you had a girlfriend. You have this whole other life that I’m not-” He was quick to correct himself. “-that Jongdae and I aren’t really a part of. It’s normal to put some distance between you and your family as you grow older.”

Minseok smiled at him in return, but it looked a little bitter. “That might be true, but what I did was too much. I think rather than growing up, I was just running away.”

“Running away?” Jongin frowned. Was there something going on in Minseok’s life that his family didn’t know about? He guessed it was possible, but the Kims were really open and accepting, so Jongin found it hard to believe that Minseok kept anything from them. Then again, he’d been keeping his love for Jongdae’s brother a secret for years, so who was he to judge?

Minseok hummed and took another sip of his cooling drink. Jongin mimicked him unconsciously. “To be honest, I think I might have been avoiding you.”

The words had Jongin stopping dead in his tracks, hand halfway toward the handle of his mug. The sudden confession sent a wave of confusion through his body, and his heart rate had picked up dramatically. Jongin’s hands had even begun to shake from nerves, but he didn’t want to show that to Minseok. He couldn’t be sure what words were about to come out of the alpha’s mouth, but he hoped his guess was wrong. Either way, he didn’t want to seem affected by them, so he bit his lip and made himself grasp his mug before bringing it to his mouth again. 

After taking a sip he asked tentatively, “You were avoiding me?”

If Minseok noticed the shakiness that Jongin so desperately tried to hide, or how tightly he was gripping the handle of his mug, he didn’t acknowledge it. Instead he just continued on.

“Yeah, I probably was. At the time, I don’t think I saw it that way though. I think I really believed that work was too busy and that the timing just wasn’t right. After I broke up with my girlfriend - well, I say we broke up but she actually dumped me after saying some things that really put life into perspective for me - but after that, I started to realize what had really been going on.”

“What did she say?” Jongin’s voice was barely above a whisper and he was no longer looking at Minseok. Dread filled him, his mind working in overdrive to make connections, to explain what was happening. He was pretty sure he knew what was coming though, and for what felt like the hundredth time that week, Minseok was making Jongin feel ready to hurl.

“She said that I never really loved her, and that my mind and heart were always elsewhere. I didn’t believe her at first, but it honestly made sense. I mean, I’d never stayed in a relationship for that long before, and I was never ready to fully commit or let anyone in. She said it was because I was hung up on someone else, and that she could tell right from the start.” His voice had taken on a wistful quality as he stared at the now trembling omega before him. “I obviously asked her why she dated me if that were the case - why she stayed. And she told me that she thought I was a sweet guy, and that eventually I’d move on from whoever I couldn’t have. Then she told me it became obvious to her that both of us were never going to fall in love, not with each other, and that I needed to resolve things with whoever I was in love with if ever wanted to move forward.”

“Why are you telling me this, hyung? What does this have to do with you avoiding me?” Jongin’s words were spoken quickly in an attempt to hide how hoarse his voice was, but he knew he’d failed. His throat felt like it was closing up, and his heartbeat was almost loud enough to drown out Minseok’s response. Jongin could feel the telltale stinging in his eyes as tears welled within them.

“I knew you were in love with me. That last time we saw each other, I knew. So, subconsciously I think that I- Jongin!”

The words Jongin was sure were coming had finally left Minseok’s lips and Jongin felt like the world was collapsing in on him. All this time, he’d known. Minseok had known how he’d felt about him for _years_ and he’d never said anything. No, instead he avoided Jongin and even went as far as to avoid his own _family_ just so he could stay away from his younger brother’s best friend who was _in love with him._

Jongin couldn’t stay there any longer. He couldn’t listen to Minseok’s words of rejection. Jongin had thought - and not for the first time - that since Minseok was there and unattached, it would be a good time to confess his feelings and clear the air. He thought that it would help him move on if he got it off his chest. He thought being properly rejected would help him, but then he’d spent time with Minseok and he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He’d missed Minseok _so much,_ even when he’d convinced himself he was over his hopeless little crush. Being around the alpha again had made Jongin feel good, and the weird feeling he’d been getting from the older wolf had made him question whether his confession was a good idea. And now to find out _this._ It was just too much for him to bear.

Jongin stood up quickly, mug left sitting forgotten on the table, the chair he was sitting in fallen to the floor in his haste to flee. He was up and gone before Minseok could finish calling his name, all thoughts for the time of night forgotten. His eyes burned with his unshed tears, both of pain and embarrassment. _This is really the worst,_ was all he could think as he climbed into bed beside Jongdae and did his best not to cry. He regretted not leaving sooner, before that conversation could have been started. He should have just avoided being alone with Minseok like he’d planned. It would have been better if he’d lived on in blissful ignorance.

Those were some of the last thoughts Jongin had that night. He drifted to sleep curled up into Jongdae’s back, blanket clutched tightly in his fists with a silent trail of tears sliding down his cheek and onto the pillow beneath him.

∞

When Jongin awoke the next morning - or afternoon, as the clock said it was past twelve already -, Jongdae was sitting beside him on the bed, smiling down softly at him. Jongin sat up and stretched, a yawn parting his lips. For a few peaceful seconds he didn’t remember the events of earlier that morning; but then he saw the sleeves of a hoodie that didn’t belong to him and smelt Minseok’s scent and it all came rushing back.

He felt like he’d gotten hit by a truck - he was sure that this was what that felt like. Everything ached, his throat was sore, his eyes felt swollen and puffy, and worst of all, it felt like there was a huge, gaping hole in his chest. It made him feel like crying, but there was no telltale stinging in his eyes to confirm the feeling. He must have cried himself out after climbing back into bed.

“Jongdae I…” Jongin croaked out, his voice a mess thanks to the previous night’s tears as well as the unsatisfying rest he’d gotten.

“Shh,” Jongdae shushed, smiling kindly once again as he handed over a mug (Jongdae’s mug, to be precise) filled with hot tea. “Drink this, it’ll help with your throat.”

Jongin accepted the mug without questioning how his friend knew what he’d need. Best friends were just good that way, he supposed. As Jongin took a few careful sips of the steaming liquid, Jongdae made himself comfortable beside Jongin on the bed, tugging the blankets up around them like a cocoon before pulling the omega into his side. 

“Let’s talk about last night,” Jongdae finally said once they were settled.

Jongin quickly tried to explain with wide eyes, panic cutting through him as he thought about how mad the other must be. Surely Jongdae had heard it all from Minseok and now the beta was angry at him for keeping such a secret. Jongdae’s hand was covering Jongin’s mouth before he could get more than his name out though, the beta’s head shaking in silent refusal.

“You don’t need to apologize Jonginnie, so relax. I didn’t see hyung today, but mom said he seemed really upset about something and then disappeared after he picked at his toast like a bird. Combine that with the fact that you made my bed reek like him - thanks for that, by the way -, and the fact that there are tear stains on your face, and it wasn’t hard to put it together.”

“You’re not mad?” Jongin asked tentatively, the question muffled through Jongdae’s hand which had remained over Jongin’s mouth.

“What?” Jongdae snickered, removing his hand from Jongin’s mouth in order to sling that arm around his shoulders instead. “No way! You might have thought you were being all sneaky sneaky while aiming your heart eyes at my brother but, let me tell you, you were far from it. I’ve known since before we started high school.” He shrugged.

Jongin sighed and slumped back against the headboard, bringing his tea back to his lips. “So everyone knew,” he mumbled sulkily. Jongdae laughed again, his good natured smile making Jongin’s chest feel a little lighter. Jongdae has, and will always be, the best medicine for a sad Jongin. 

“I don’t think hyung knew about it, not for a while anyway. I’m not sure when exactly he figured it out, I only knew for sure that he knew once he came home last week. The interactions between you two made it kind of hard to miss.”

Another heavy sigh slipped past the omega’s lips. “He said he realized it last time he saw me, so I guess at his graduation party. That’s why he never came home, you know? He… he said he was avoiding me.”

“He said that?” Jongdae asked incredulously. His brother wasn’t usually so tactless.

Jongin offered a half shrug and a bitter smile. “Yeah. In a really roundabout way, too. He said that it was a subconscious thing, and that he didn’t realize it until he broke up with his girlfriend.”

“What the hell does she have to do with anything?”

The look on Jongdae’s face usually would’ve made Jongin laugh, but he wasn’t feeling up to it. Reliving the memory of what happened a few hours ago was making him feel shitty. It might be too fresh for him to really be open and ready to talk about, but this was Jongdae, his best friend, and Jongin knew he’d feel better once he told someone about what happened.

“The whole conversation was confusing and, overall, it fucking sucked Jongdae. Right after he said he was avoiding me, I knew what was going to happen. I knew he was going to tell me that he knew how I felt, and I felt so fucking sick and disgusted with myself. I wanted to leave. I didn’t want to hear him say it. I thought that I did, before, but once I knew it was coming I realized I wasn’t prepared at all. I think I might have… gotten my hopes up a bit. But then he was, like, building up suspense to tell me I creeped him out enough to even avoid his own family. Saying things like, his girlfriend and him never had genuine feelings and how she said he was in love with someone else and needed to figure out what was going on with that… What the fuck does that have to do with me? Why did he have to say all of that?”

Jongin let out a groan and buried his face in Jongdae’s neck, careful not to spill his tea on the bed. Jongdae was quiet for a while, hand stroking Jongin’s messy bed head as he thought over what he’d been told. Jongin knew that he was mulling everything over, so he was content to sit quietly and wait, hopeful that his friend could shed some light on the situation. 

“I think…” Jongdae began cautiously. “...that my brother is an idiot. Seriously, Minseok hyung should be better with these things by now.”

“Better with what, breaking young omega hearts?” Jongin snorted into his tea.

“No, no - well, yeah maybe. But that’s not actually what I meant!” The beta declared, shifting away from Jongin’s embrace so he could face his friend. “Confessing. I meant he should be better at confessing by now.”

“Yeah Jongdae, that makes a lot of sense,” Jongin deadpanned.

“Stay with me for a minute,” Jongdae fired back in exasperation. “I think that the point of that conversation was probably that Minseok realized what his ex was talking about. Or, more specifically, _who_.”

“What are you even saying right now, Jongdae?” Jongin asked even though he already knew. His heart had started beating in overdrive again, but Jongin was still reluctant. If he wasn’t weary, he’d end up getting blindsided again, and he wasn’t sure he could take that sort of pain so soon after the previous blow.

“I’m saying-” He drew out with a grin. “-that my idiot older brother was trying to tell you that he realized he returns your feelings!” When Jongin groaned and shook his head in disbelief Jongdae was quick to continue. “Hear me out, hear me out! Okay, so yeah, he went about it terribly, but doesn’t that make you feel a little flattered? Like, my brother has had plenty of relationships, but you’re the person he was awkward with, because you’re the only one he’s had genuine feelings for!”

“Jongdae…” Jongin trailed off, his tone speaking plenty about what he thought about that.

“I know, I know. But you don’t know what he was going to say Jongin.” When he caught the look the omega was shooting at him, his tone turned sharp. “You _don’t_. You ran off before he could finish, and I’m not blaming you for that! I would have too, if I thought I was getting brutally rejected. But you know Minseok hyung, and he’d never reject someone like that, even if he did admit to unknowingly avoiding them due to unrequited love. If he was just going to tell you he felt sorry about the way he handled everything, and that he couldn’t return your feelings, he wouldn’t have said all that other stuff!”

Jongdae was getting more excited as he spoke, and Jongin’s heart was right there with him. He wanted to believe it more than anything. The thought of this all being a huge misunderstanding was tempting, because then that meant that he wasn’t crazy and the weird atmosphere he’d felt was real. It would mean Minseok was flirting with him all those times, and that Jongin might have a real chance at a relationship with him. But the part of him that had gotten hurt last night still wasn’t ready to jump on the bandwagon.

“If you’re wrong though… Jongdae, he could have just said all that other stuff because he wasn’t sure how to handle the fact that his little brother’s _best friend_ is in love with him. He wasn’t ready to have that talk, but he went for it anyway and it turned out like this. Minseok hyung is just a person, he’s not perfect. I don’t want to read too much into anything again.”

Jongdae slumped over with a sigh, brown eyes blinking up at the ceiling tiredly. “Okay, I get where you’re coming from. And I can’t make you do what I want, so I guess I’ll have to just accept whatever you decide but you know, I think I’m right. And I think part of you thinks so too, and is just scared because you convinced yourself that Minseok hyung would never look at you that way.”

“Yeah well, why would he?” Jongin murmured to himself. Apparently he didn’t speak quietly enough though because Jongdae was sitting up again in a flash, giving him his serious look.

“Kim Jongin there are so many good things about you I don’t know where to start!” The beta began, sweeping his hand through the air as if to say ‘just look at you’.

Jongin rolled his eyes but was quick amend his statement. “That’s not what I meant. I was referring to the fact that I’m a nineteen year old college student whom he’s only ever viewed as a younger brother. It has nothing to do with me as a person, so please don’t-”

Too late. “Reason number one why Kim Jongin is serious mate material!” Jongdae shouted way too loudly. “He’s got a really cute laugh!”

“Shut up,” Jongin pleaded, his cheeks heating up as he thought of all the possible embarrassing things his best friend was about to spew at the top of his lungs.

“Reason number two why Kim Jongin is serious mate material!” Jongdae ignored Jongin’s whine of his name. “He’s a super talented dancer who knows how to go from cute, sweater paw loving omega to sexy, you’ll cream your pants omega at the drop of the bass!”

“Oh my god,” Jongin groaned, grabbing a pillow off the bed to throw at Jongdae. “Your parents can hear you right now!”

Unfortunately, Jongdae dodged out of the way and continued on with a shit eating grin. “Reasons number three, four, and five; his smile, sleepy morning voice, and the way he puts aside his own problems to help his friends!”

“Why are you being like this?”

“Reason number six is how he puts up with my shit!”

“How long is this going to go on for?” Jongin wondered aloud to himself. 

“And, I saved the best for last,” He lowered his voice as if he were talking to an individual instead of the non-existent audience like before. “Reason number seven is how damn hot he is! Seriously Jongin, if I were more into omegas I would-”

“Shut hell up Jongdae!” Jongin finally yelled before shoving Jongdae off the bed. He landed on the floor with a thump, but when he popped up he was still grinning, clearly pleased with himself. And that’s when Jongin realized he was feeling a lot better than he was before. Stupid Jongdae, always knowing what to do.

Before either of them could say something else though, Mr. Kim was yelling from the bottom of the staircase. “We get it Jongdae, you love Jongin, now shut up!”

Jongin burst into laughter, Jongdae pouting feux-sulkily before joining in. Once they were done, Jongin’s stomach hurt from laughing so much and his face ached from smiling. It was a dramatic turn from the way he’d been feeling only an hour before. Not for the first time, Jongin thought to himself how grateful he was to have Jongdae around. 

As if sensing Jongin’s thoughts, the beta sat up again and met his eyes. “At least talk to him, okay? Even if it’s not what you want to hear, you’ll at least have some closure.”

Jongin stared into Jongdae’s eyes, feeling like a kid again when he asked, “What if he breaks my heart again?”

Leaning forward, Jongdae bumped his nose against Jongin’s, something they would do to comfort one another in their wolf forms, before he replied. “Then we’ll go back to Seoul early, get drunk, and invade Sehun and Junmyeon’s apartment for Chuseok.”

Jongin sighed before flopping back down on the bed and nodding his assent. Jongdae was right. He might not like it, but he was right. Whatever happened, at least then it would be done and over with.

∞

Jongin said he would talk things over with Minseok but he never said when. For the three days following his conversation with Jongdae, Jongin spent his time avoiding his neighbor’s house like the plague. He was always texting Jongdae though, which meant he had to give flimsy excuses as to why he wasn’t around - excuses he was sure weren’t fooling Jongdae in the slightest - but Jongin just wasn’t ready to face Minseok just yet. He still needed more time.

Throughout those three days, Jongdae had tried multiple times to reassure Jongin that Minseok wasn’t home, and hadn’t been ever since their disaster of a talk, but Jongin adamantly refused to visit Jongdae’s house. He sort of didn’t trust Jongdae to not meddle, even after promising he’d let Jongin deal with it at his own pace. He’d already lost track of how many times Jongdae had promised not to scheme and then turned around and did it anyway, so he decided not to risk it.

Time was starting to run out though. It had been over a week since they’d been back home, and fall break was only two and a half weeks long. Chuseok fell towards the end of their vacation and now that it was fast approaching, Jongin knew he couldn’t put things off for much longer. That’s why, on the fourth day since his talk with Minseok in the kitchen of the Kim house, Jongin went looking for the older wolf.

It was already well into the afternoon when he’d finally found the courage to drag himself out of bed and across the lawn. He might have spent a bit too long in front of the mirror picking out what he should wear, before, inevitably, he decided his usual faded pair of jeans, worn pair of converse, and a t-shirt was his best option. Minseok already knew him, there wasn’t any point in dressing to impress. After a quick internal debate he’d even grabbed Minseok hoodie and pulled it over his head. He would need to return it, if it turned out Jongdae was wrong.

However, Jongin felt what little bit of resolve he had managed to scrounge up crumble when he’d shoved open the door to the Kim house (they really needed to get that fixed) to find Mrs. Kim on the couch reading. She’d looked up upon Jongin’s arrival and knew immediately what he was there for. Jongin wasn’t sure if one of her sons had explained the situation, or if she just knew - which honestly wouldn’t surprise him at this point because who _didn’t_ know about Jongin’s feelings, apparently? - somehow, but her apologetic smile said it all.

“He’s not here Jongin. I don’t know where he is, otherwise I’d point him out in a heartbeat. He seemed upset the past few days and hasn’t been around much. I think he’s been going running though, if you feel like looking for him.”

He didn’t. He really, really didn’t. Jongin would much rather just head upstairs and fall into Jongdae’s bed and talk about school, or their friends, or the grouchy lady that lives in the apartment above them. He’d much rather do anything else, really, but he knows he can’t. He needed to do this for himself, needed to have this talk with Minseok. It was discouraging to find out he wasn’t there, that he’d have to wait even longer with all those negative thoughts swirling around in his head, but he knew that Jongdae was right. Closure was important, and probably the reason Jongin hadn’t been able to actually get over Minseok in those four years of near radio silence.

So he squared his shoulders and thanked the other omega before heading through the living room and towards the back door. On his way out, he snagged one of the old backpacks hanging on the hook by the door, placed there for times like these where one of them wanted to go running and needed a way to bring things along.

Once outside, Jongin quickly stripped out of his clothes, folding them neatly before placing everything he had on him into the bag and shifting into his second form. The cracking and shifting of his bones ached a little more than he was used to, but that was to be expected. He’d been living in the city, which afforded a lot fewer opportunities to shift into his wolf form than his hometown did. The less a wolf shifted forms, the more unpleasant it was for them, but the feeling was quickly washed away by the joy he felt at being back on four legs again.

Part of Jongin wanted to forget all about Minseok, the reason he’d even shifted in the first place, and just frolic around like a pup who’d just shifted for the first time. The alpha’s scent drifting towards him on the wind quickly dispelled that idea though. Despite Jongin’s turbulent thoughts, it still had the same warm and comforting effect on him that it always had. It still smelt like home to Jongin, and that caused a whole different type of ache to flare up within him.

When they were younger, before Jongin realized the true extent of his feelings for the older wolf, they’d ran together a lot. It was one of Jongin’s favorite things, being in his wolf form. It was so different from the human form he spent most of his time in, and Jongin relished those differences. He loved being able to pick up scents even better and from further away. He liked the sharpened eyesight he was given, and the way it felt to run so fast that the wind whipped through his fur. And Minseok shared similar sentiments. There were many times, so many memories that Jongin could recall, where it was just him and Minseok, chasing each other through the forest and splashing around in the nearby lake.

They were mostly alone during those times. Jongdae liked his wolf form just fine - there wasn’t really a wolf out there that didn’t feel at home when they shifted -, but he wasn’t as keen about it as Jongin and his brother were. He was content to shift mostly during the holidays for family runs and the like. That often left Jongin and Minseok to play together, and as Jongin now traced the alpha’s scent through the woods, he felt that familiar spark of excitement that accompanied a chase.

Sure, Minseok didn’t exactly know that Jongin was tracking him, and they weren’t really playing this time around, but Jongin couldn’t help it. It was all instincts, and he was fine with that. Since shifting, he’d been able to discard his troublesome thoughts and instead focus on the feelings he’d missed out on while living in the city. Even if it was just for a short period of time, he was grateful to let go of his stress and just exist.

His run eventually came to a halt around the nine mile mark. Minseok’s scent had grown strong enough for Jongin to know that the alpha was close by. That also meant that Minseok could more than likely smell his scent as well. There wasn’t an indication of the other attempting to flee, however, so Jongin took his time shifting back and getting dressed. Only once he had given himself enough time to calm his nerves did he step away from the treeline and approach the lone figure sitting on a large rock outcropping by the shore. The rock jutted out from the hillside and was very familiar, holding a lot of memories for the two of them.

Jongin and Minseok had spent many days and nights on that very same rock, sunbathing in their wolf forms during the days, and camping out to watch the stars during the nights. It had all been so innocent back then, Jongin wondered if Minseok had returned there precisely for that reason. The simplicity of it all might have made the other feel at ease in the same way Jongin did after shifting.

“Little cold for a swim, don’t you think?” Jongin asked lightly as he stepped up onto the rock and took a seat beside Minseok.

They didn’t look at each other, but Jongin could see from the corner of his eye that Minseok was smiling slightly as he gazed out at the mostly still waters of the lake. There wasn’t much of a breeze, but it was still autumn and being by the water made Jongin feel cold, so he pulled his knees up to his chest and waited silently for Minseok to speak.

“Do you remember the summer after you turned fourteen? The year right before I graduated and moved to Seoul full time.” Minseok clarified needlessly. 

Of course Jongin remembered. The older wolf had brought Jongin alcohol for the first time, and they’d camped out on that very same rock, without Jongdae or anybody else around. They’d just enjoyed the company of one another, something they hadn’t gotten to do much of since Minseok had left for college. It was one of Jongin’s favorite memories of his time spent with Minseok - there was no way he’d ever forget it.

Instead of saying all of that though, Jongin hummed into his knees. “I told you about how an alpha from my English class asked me out, and I was going to agree even though I didn’t like him. But you told me not to go, because I shouldn’t waste my time on someone I couldn’t see myself being with.”

Minseok snorted out a laugh, cringing at his own cheesiness. “Good advice, embarrassingly worded.”

“Yeah, but I took it to heart anyway. I didn’t go out with that alpha, or the beta after him. I said no to everyone who asked, because of what you said that night. I believed you; and now I know more than ever how good that advice was. But after you graduated and stopped coming home, I was kind of hurt.” Minseok flinched at his words, but Jongin kept going. He needed to say how he felt in order to get the closure he had come for. “I told myself that I was being stupid, claiming I was taking your advice when in actuality I was just waiting. Waiting until I was old enough to be with you. Waiting until you realized I was an option and wanted me. After I started thinking like that, I got angry at myself, and at you, even though I know now that I was being unfair.”

Jongin reached forward and picked up a rock that looked good for skipping, adjusting his legs so he could toss it properly. Both of them watched as it glided across the water three, four times, before sinking into the dark depths of the lake. Jongin pulled his legs back up again, the distraction having helped him string his words together.

“I went out with people who asked me out first. Not everyone, obviously, but people I thought I could have an interest in. It wasn’t malicious or anything, I genuinely wanted to try being with them. I wanted to like them genuinely. I had a few relationships in high school that never turned into anything, and then when Jongdae and I went off to college I had a few flings. I thought I’d gotten over it, over you and the way you make me feel. I’d convinced myself that it was all in the past and just refused to think about it. But then we came home and Jongdae told me you were coming too - and with a _girlfriend_ no less - and I realized that nothing had changed. I was still pining after my best friend’s older brother.”

“Jongin I-”

“I reacted badly the other night. In the kitchen,” Jongin added, as if there was any way Minseok could misunderstand which time he was talking about. “I felt cornered. I hadn’t even told Jongdae how I felt about you, but there you were, telling me that you’d known for _years_. And then you started saying how you’d avoided me without meaning to and I… just couldn’t take it? I wasn’t prepared to get rejected, not then.”

Jongin laughed shortly. “Actually, I’d gotten it into my head at some point since you came back that you might like me too. So I was sort of blindsided when you suddenly started saying all of those things.”

“I didn’t mean for it to come out the way it did, Jongin. I shouldn’t have gotten swept up in the moment like I did. I should have waited until I’d worked out what I wanted to say to you,” Minseok apologized, finally turning to face the other wolf.

Jongin didn’t turn to meet his gaze, but he did glance over, feeling shy about his next words. It made his voice quieter, softer than he’d meant for it to be, but he tried not to think about it. He was already making himself vulnerable, it didn’t matter how he sounded anymore.

“Jongdae said that you… might have meant something different by what you said. That it wasn’t a rejection. Is that true?”

Instead of directly answering Jongin’s question, Minseok returned back to that summer five years ago. He didn’t do it in a way that made Jongin feel as if he was avoiding the question though, so Jongin waited patiently and listened to what the alpha had to say.

“That summer, I gave you that advice but I was really just talking to myself. Like I said before, my ex really put things into perspective for me. I’d been dating her because, like all the others, I was trying to make myself feel things that I didn’t feel. But now I realize that forcing it just did more harm than good. I’ve made a lot of mistakes when it comes to you, Jongin.”

Minseok sighed and rubbed a hand through his hair, glancing back at the lake. When he turned back to meet Jongin’s eyes again, there was a determined look in them. Whatever he was about to say, Jongin knew that Minseok meant it wholeheartedly. 

“Look. You and I, we’re not the most conventional couple. We’re seven years apart, which people might not think too hard about if we’re lucky. But we’ve known each other all of our lives and somehow, you and I have always just clicked. I didn’t know what that meant until recently, though. And I can’t promise you that I’ll be what you think I’ll be, because honestly, I’ve never liked anyone I’ve dated before, not in the way I like you. I don’t know if I’ll act the right way, if I’ll do the right things. Hell Jongin, I can’t even say for sure when I started feeling non platonic things for you. But what I _do_ know is that ever since I saw you again, I’ve felt better. I’ve been happy this past week, and I want to explore that more with you, if you’d like to.”

After Minseok finished his speech he seemed to be holding his breath as he awaited Jongin’s answer. It was cute, and Jongin found his chest swelling up with affection for the alpha beside him. There might be seven years between them but Minseok was just as clueless about what they were doing as Jongin was, and that made it even better. 

Instead of giving him his answer in words, Jongin leaned forward and softly brushed his lips against Minseok’s. It was just a light touch, barely able to be considered a kiss, but it had Jongin’s lips stretching into a grin and his heart hammering in his chest. When he pulled away and opened his eyes, Minseok’s own brown orbs were staring back at him with more fondness than he knew what to do with.

∞

Later, when they were laying side by side on what Jongin now referred to in his head as _their rock_ , pressed up against each other for added warmth as they stared up at the stars, Jongin was reminded of an old story his grandmother used to tell him.

“When I was a kid, before we moved here, I used to visit my grandmother in the hospital every day after school. She and I were really close, so I was devastated when she passed away. I think that’s probably why my parents moved us here. I guess they were worried about me and wanted a fresh start somewhere new.”

Minseok’s hand had given Jongin’s a squeeze. “You’ve never told me that before.”

“I didn’t like to talk about it. I only told Jongdae about it once, back when we were kids. It was the anniversary of her death and Jongdae found me crying in the fort we’d made out here. He sat by my side quietly while I cried and didn’t try to cheer me up or ask what was wrong. I think that’s when I decided I wanted to be his best friend for the rest of my life.” Jongin laughed, smiling fondly at the stars as he remembered little chubby cheeked Jongdae rocking a tearful, eight year old Jongin back and forth.

“That sounds like Jongdae,” Minseok said softly, using the arm that was wrapped around Jongin to bring him closer. “What made you think of her, though?”

Jongin grinned and tilted his head up so he could look at Minseok’s face, but he didn’t move his head off the alpha’s chest. “She used to tell me this story - said her mother told it to her when she was a kid. It was about this pair of lovers. They weren’t supposed to be together because she was the next alpha in line to take over her pack and the girl she loved was just a beta who worked for the herbalist in the neutral ground between pack territories. That’s how they met, actually. She was on her way to meet the omega son of the neighboring pack because they were meant to mate and strengthen ties between their two packs. But on her way over, she saw the beta being attacked by a feral wolf and came to her rescue.”

“So they fell in love?”

Jongin shook his head as best he could without changing positions. “No, gran said they didn’t give each other much thought after that first meeting.” He laughed a little as he thought about the similarities between the fictional couple and them. “But they kept meeting coincidentally and before they knew it they were in love. They went on like that for months, loving each other without saying anything, until the alpha’s mating ceremony was set to take place.”

Minseok furrowed his eyebrows and frowned at the thought of the alpha mating someone other than the beta she was in love with. “She didn’t go through with it right?”

Jongin’s smile softened as he sat up and gazed down at the alpha. His alpha. Minseok was his finally, and that was more than he could have ever wished for. No matter what, Jongin was confident that they’d be okay. He believed in the way they felt about each other. After their struggle to finally meet in the middle, there was no way they’d ever go back. It was just the beginning for the two of them.

“No, they ended up together because the alpha stood up to her father.” Jongin shrugged nonchalantly as he hopped up to his feet. “Let’s head home, I’m starving.”

“Whoa, wait a minute!” Minseok protested as he clambered to his feet as well. “That’s it? You’re not going to tell me the rest of the story?”

Jongin paused on his way back to the trees where he’d left his bag and threw his boyfriend a coy smile. “Why? The point was they got together in the end, and you know that already.”

Minseok pouted at his omega, reaching out to grab his arm in a gentle hold. “But you thought of it because it reminded you of us, right?”

Jongin continued to act indifferent, but his eyes were full of love as he met Minseok’s gaze. “Well, like you said before, we’re not exactly the most conventional couple, and neither were they. But they got their happy ending - it was totally unrealistic given the time period they lived in but it’s a children’s story so whatever. The point was that I think we’ll get our happy ending too.”

“You’re actually a sap, aren’t you Kim Jongin?” Minseok chuckled, lacing his fingers with Jongin’s as they went to collect both of their bags.

“Yeah, but you like me anyway.”

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, hi. I wrote this for a [fest](http://thegoldenboys.livejournal.com/) a little while back. This is the first thing I've written in forever, so it's rusty as hell and my grammar is trash. I'm not super satisfied with it, but I got some positive feedback (I squealed, honestly) that's made me feel a little better about the final product. Thanks for reading ❤️ 
> 
> EDIT: Wow this was a mess and proofreading is your friend. I went and fixed some of the mistakes I noticed (this is still a mess though, who am I kidding?). 
> 
> Stay tuned for a Baekchen side story!!


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